Carlos Vela made a spectacular return to the Mexican national team after a three-plus-year exile on Wednesday, scoring two goals as El Tri got revenge for their World Cup elimination by the Netherlands with a 3-2 win in Amsterdam.
The Real Sociedad striker didn’t take long to make his mark, receiving a pass from Hector Herrera in the center of the field and lashing a left-footed blast from distance past a diving Tim Krul in the sixth minute.
Though El Tri nearly extended their lead soon after through a backheel from Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez that rolled wide, they also required on goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to make four first-half saves, including a diving stop in the 29th minute on Arjen Robben.
The hosts struck back with a stunner of their own just minutes into the second half when Wesley Sneijder let loose on the half-volley from well outside the area that gave Ochoa no chance.
After managing just one shot on goal – Vela's strike – in the first half, Mexico stepped up their chance creation in the second half, and Hernandez was spectacularly denied in the 56th minute on a close-range, sprawling save from Krul.
They weren’t to be stopped six minutes later, however, as Jesus Corona, who had entered the game as a substitute just a minute earlier, picked out Vela with a fine cross-field pass that the forward expertly finished.
The visitors continued to pile on against the disorganized Dutch, and Hernandez netted his team’s third goal in the 69th minute after rounding Krul on a breakaway chance assisted by Andres Guardado.
World Cup breakout star Daley Blind got the Netherlands back in the fixture with another shot from outside the area in the 74th minute, but the goal ultimately proved to be nothing more than consolation as Mexico held out against a late push by the hosts.
El Tri will remain in Europe for their final fixture of 2014, when they travel to face Belarus on Nov. 18.
